


Do not Fear the Darkness

by notyourusername



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, RP, Secret Santa Fic, based off an rp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-22
Updated: 2012-12-22
Packaged: 2017-11-22 01:26:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/604294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notyourusername/pseuds/notyourusername
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Phillip has his encounter with Maleficent over Aurora's fate, but things do not go as the evil fairy expects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Do not Fear the Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for Nur, as part of a Secret Santa thing over at our Once Upon a Time RP. Hope you like it dear!

_“Maleficent!”_

Phillip was hunched over his body, a trail of blood behind him as he dragged his sword across the floor. The fairies had tried to do away with most of the evil thorns, but they just continued to grow thrice with every cut of his blade. They had torn his armor, and cut through him like the wind, but he had managed to cross the horrible garden. After that, Maleficent’s horde of demons were child’s play.

“My, my. Aren’t we our father’s son? Carrying around his weapons like a big boy.” The voice echoed of the walls, the darkness only penetrated by the dim lighting of the dusted candelabra that hung above  him and the three good fairies. “Is this your great army? I say, I feel rather offended.”

“You won’t feel much of anything when Phillip is done with you!” Merriweather cried out and flew out into the voice, but was quickly engulfed in the darkness.

“Merriweather!” Flora yelled as she followed her sister into the darkness, only to meet the same fate. Maleficent’s laugh could be heard acutely, the walls shaking upon the sound.

“No…” Phillip cried out, as Fauna floated next to him, unsure of what she should do. He tried to lift his sword, but the battle had drained him that he could barely move. He couldn’t even react when a hand reached out at him from behind.

“Prince Phillip, no!” Fauna flew with her wand pointed at the palm’s hand, but it made little diference. She was taken as well, leaving Phillip on his own.

“Well, I seem to have a complete set.” As the fire began to rise, the shadows above the steps front of Phillip began to take shape. It seeped down from the wall onto the floor, taking the shape of the wicked fairy. In her right hand, she carried her scepter, a center for her power, while in her left, she had the three fairies trapped in a cage, rattling them about in every step. “You really can’t keep your women, can’t you, my dear boy?”

“Maleficent, let them go, and tell me where Aurora is.” He used his strength to lift his sword at her, keeping it up by sheer willpower and determination.

“I am so scared.” She clutched at her chest in feigned fear. “I swear Phillip, I thought you would have given me a better fight.” She continued down the stairs towards him, not even acknowledging the danger of his blade. “I kept hearing about this warrior companion whom you kept close with, and yet here you are, with only three old biddies to keep you company.” She walked around him as she gazed upon the broken man. “Tell me, why is it that everyone seems to fail you, my sweet prince? Your parents are in a deep sleep, unable to help you; the woman you love and said to love you left you in the dead of night without so much as a mere note, and then the woman (oh yes, I know all about the Hua clan, and the shame of having their _daughter_ defend them because her father was too weak to fight) who vowed to help you just up an leaves?” Phillip tensed at the fact that Maleficent knew about he and Mulan’s close friendship, even if he knew not if that was the proper term for it. She crept close to Phillip, practically whispering in his ear. “In my experience,  people abandon things that they don’t find useful, broken things that have outlived their use. Tell me, what is the point of you if you can’t even save your kingdom, much less, the girl you love?”

“You’re no fairy, you’re a purely witch!” He used the last of his strength to drive it sword back at Maleficent, but she threw him away into the wall and took the sword in her hand. The cage holding the girls hovered above her as she moved.

“Pathetic. Did you really think you could win with three old hags and a broken sword?” She took the blade in her hands and broke the metal in half, then proceeded to let the pieces clang onto the floor, the sound seeming to be empty laughter and failure in Phillips ears. “I am one of the strongest fairies in this world, because I have no weakness. I do not fear the dark.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Phillip responded, rising on one knee, his breathing ragged. “Evil like you never fears the darkness, because you can’t see anything in it. You can’t fear what you can’t see right? It’s easier to walk into the darkness and mystery than into the light, where you have to face clarity, clearness. You may not fear the darkness, but you really ought to fear the light.”

“Well, you won’t have to be worrying about my fears anytime soon, now do you?” She raised her scepter, the flames rising and licking at the ceiling. They seemed to obey the staff. “Goodbye, sweet prince. I’ll be sure to tell your dumb Aurora you tried. That is, if she ever wakes up. Although, I doubt it.”

As she was about to have the flames come down at his broken self, a crash came from one of the tinted windows, and the source came flying through the air and fell into Maleficent’s hands.

“What is this?” She nearly dropped it, it was so slimy. No, not slimy. Wet. She realized it was a yellow, pudgy fish, with blue stripes. She grabbed him by the tail and held him up to her face.

“Eh, surprise?” The voice came from the fish and chuckled awkwardly.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Is this back-up to your back up?” She asked as she looked at Phillip, who was now smiling.

“No, he was the decoy.”

“Did anyone call for reinforcements?” A voice came from the whole that the fish had made, a man with dark hair and a white uniform standing in it.

“Now!” The fish yelled, and bit at the hand that Maleficent had been holding her scepter in. She shrieked in pain, sending Flounder flying. Phillip quickly grabbed the falling scepter and rammed Maleficent, knocking her onto the floor. More of the windows were broken, the glass flying through the air, as Prince Eric and the Atlantican army crashed the castle, King Triton using the oceans to douse Maleficent’s flames and allowing the Merfolk to walk on land.

“About time you showed up. What? Were you just waiting until the last second?” Phillip took arms with Eric, whom just laughed at his old companion.

“I was just waiting to see how long would it take before you actually cried for mercy. I didn’t think you’d let her get you that badly.”

“All part of the plan Eric, all part of the plan.”

“Sorry to break up the happy reunion, but who the hell are all of you?” Maleficent had gotten up from the sudden attack and was now back to her poised state. Prince Eric was going to respond, but he was cut off.

“I am King Triton, and on behalf on Atlantica, we are here to aid Prince Eric’s companion in his quest to save his beloved.” The old King stood firm, dutiful, as he held his Triton as a spear aimed at her.

“Spare me these unending  trials.” She waved her hand away at him. “Do you really think a bunch of mermaids can stop me? My scepter is not my only source of power.” She shook her head back, raising her arms to strike.

“Flotsam! Jetsam!” The two eels came from behind and wrapped themselves around her body, shocking her into submission. As Maleficent looked up, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Ursula? You? You’re helping Triton and the Atlanticans against me?”

The cephalopod woman made her way down the hole in the wall and through the army, her hips swaying with every slither. “I did it for myself, child. After the little ‘incident’ with Triton’s daughter and my helpless attempt for the throne, I was up for execution. Lucky for my little legs, you were becoming too much of a problem among the realms. Naturally, I offered my services… for a price.”

“What did you do, you sea witch?”

“I gave the mer-folk the ability to walk on land in their original form, as long as our lovely Triton here stayed with them and guided them with his oceans.” She blew a kiss at Triton and playfully shook all over.

“Now, now Ursula. I will honor our agreement-”

“Contract, Triton!” Ursula corrected. She quickly brought out the parchment. “Remember, you signed this contract and binded the deal. Any funny business, and my babies let her go, and I return back home, while you and your little subjects try to keep breathing with no lungs.”

“I am a man of my word and I keep to it!” He boomed loudly.

“Oh, I love a man with authority in his voice.” Ursula crooned.

“Someone kill me already.” Maleficent rolled her eyes.

“Not yet.” Phillip told her. He left Eric’s side and walked up the steps to release the fairies, and then proceeded towards her.

“Let me guess, your entire “wounded man” persona was all a ruse?”

“Partly, but don’t worry, you were perfect in your part. You behaved just as I expected you to.”

“Wonderful.”

“Yes. Now, as I was saying before,” He took his broken sword from the ground, the jagged piece with the hilt, and aimed it at her throat. “I demand you release Aurora from her curse, your curse, and I may yet leave you with your head intact.”

“You really think I’d tell you?” He neared the remnants of his sword to her throat, barely cutting her skin.

“I think you really like your life, and you’d choose to keep it in the manner of living you so enjoy.”

“Aren’t we acting all civilized now?” She changed her tone. “Fine, I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything.”

****

_I found Aurora in the dead of night, lost in the wilderness of the forest. I found it peculiar, since she had been hidden from my sight ever since I paid her a little visit on the date of her birth… Oh, you don’t need me to tell you what happened; you were all there. And if you want a recap, I’m sure one of the fairies would be delighted in telling you, since they love to move their big mouths. Oh, don’t look at me like that; I may be evil, but I’m not a liar. Which is why on the night of her sixteenth birthday, I sent my dear Wolves to find her._

_I found the little cottage where she had been hiding; I have you to thank for that, Phillip. With all that singing and dancing, it was impossible for my Diablo not to find her. Still, because of the curse, I couldn’t approach her; she had to come willingly. So, I waited. I could hear how the pathetic girl crooned over her young lover coming to save her, how the fairies never-ending bickering made no effect to spoil her mood. It was sinfully bittersweet. I had to find a way to get her out of there, away from her little bubble. I knew that the town had been put under a deep sleep, defenseless spare some few guards. It was really no trouble for me to my devil’s snare to grow through the castle, entrapping the sleeping victims in place. I didn’t even have to murder anyone, she was already decided she would sacrifice herself “for the good of her people”. Little miss noble. If I weren’t cut of a better cloth, I would have guffawed._

_So, like a lamb for the slaughter, she left you and her guardians and walked into the darkness, where my Wolves found her and… guided her into my direction. The poor thing, she really had no idea who she was dealing with. And yet, she continued forward, and offered herself to me. All it took was one prick of  a finger, and she fell to her slumber. After that, it was merely getting her as far away from my castle as I cared for. But then I thought of the perfect place to put her, in the epitome of my grief; where this whole matter began._

_So, Does that answer your question, or do I need to repeat myself for you idiots?_

********

Aurora’s instincts upon viewing the hateful fairy in front of her had told her to run, find a way out, survive. But she fought them down, because she had come here for one purpose, to save her kingdom, her family, Phillip, even if it meant losing him forever.

“Not forever.” She whispered to herself. She believed Phillip would find a way to bring her back. Which is why when the wolves came to her, smiling with bloodied teeth from their last kill, their eyes human-like and piercing, she did not run. She did not cry, nor beg. She welcomed the curse like a friend, and touch the needle on the wheel.

She did not faint, nor fall, or even stumble. For a moment, she thought the curse hadn’t worked: She was still in Maleficent’s castle, the Big Bad Wolves at her side, the Spinning Wheel turning in front of her. Aurora turned to leave, find out what had happened, when she slammed into a wall. A mirror, to be precise. It was a hall of mirrors, all showing her reflection back at her. She tried to get out, but she merely ended up in room after room of copies of herself.

“It’s the hall of mirrors.” She gasped, trembling. She could barely remember the stories her mother told her about this place, warned her, many a night since she suspected that Maleficent would attempt the same thing on her daughter she tried implementing on the mother. The sleeping curse had worked, and brought her into this room for her to spend the remainder of her days, forced to face her life and the choices she selfishly made for herself.

“What did you think, you would just get to sleep it off?”

She knew what she had heard, but not from where. She began to run again, tripping upon her cloth and falling on the floor of a circular room, full of the mirrors. She curled up on the floor, checking for wounds.

“Oh, please. You’ve barely a scratch on you.” The voice spoke again, _her_ voice, when she saw herself in the mirror, but standing, with her arms crossed.

“Come on princess, walk it off! Or are you that weak you can’t even stand without your precious Phillip?” Another one, to her left, mocked.

“No wonder she was sent away to a cottage. Can you imagine the embarrassment?” The all laughed at her, disrupting her.

“Shut up!” Aurora yelled as she tried to keep her composure.

“Can’t run for mother this time Aurora. You’re trapped here with all of us.-

“With yourself, or should I say, selves.?” They continued their torture for what seemed hours, the princesss hunched between her knees, trying to keep the voices out.”

“Welcome to the cursed life, dear.

“There’s no way out of it.”

“You’re wrong.” Aurora stopped moving, stopped trying.

“Or are we?

“Or are you talking to yourself? I mean, yourself yourself?

“Ready to succumb to the madness?

“No.” She got from the floor, covering herself with her dress, taking her crown into her hands.

“I don’t understand why you wear that crown.

“You’re never going to be Queen now,

“You were barely an adequate princess to begin with.”

“You’re right.” She answered, turning the jeweled diadem in her hands. “I spent all this time, just sitting here, waiting for something to happen, listening to voices inside a mirror, I forgot one important thing.”

“Oh, do tell.

“Yes, please.”

“A mirror is just glass, fragile. And like anything fragile, it can break!” She took her crown, her mother’s old golden crown, covered with precious, impervious diamonds, and broke the mirror into pieces. With the shattering of one, they all crumbled. The voices turned to shrieks as they fell onto the floor, turning to dust. The impact began to attack the floor, crumbling and sending Aurora down, into another room. It was a bright red room. She could barely breathe, the flames consuming the air.

“Oh gods.” She managed to let out between coughs. “Phillip, please hurry.”

********

He threw the broken sword away, leaving her side.

“I have to go find her.” Phillip declared.

“I’ll help you.” Prince Eric offered.

“You will not.” King Triton grabbed Eric by the shoulders.

“He’s right, sailor.” Ursula commented. “My contract is still in place, and that includes you as well. Especially since you still have my scepter.”

“Excuse me?” Maleficent roared, almost bursting.

“Didn’t I mention that? One of the subjects in the deal was that I received your power source. I’m afraid you can’t take it with you.”

“You can’t do this!”

“King Triton, I gave my word I’d leave her unharmed.” Phillip looked at her, almost feeling pity for the creature.

“I have no choice, Phillip. Magic comes with a price.”

“Yes, and this one is  mine. Come along boys.” Flotsam and Jetsam released the green fairy from their clutches and continued after their ruler.

“I can’t let you go alone, old friend.” Eric mentioned at the thought of Phillip facing another quest alone.

“He won’t be alone.”

Mulan had been standing in the shadows and awaiting for the moment when she would be needed for battle.

“Mulan.” Phillip ran  up to her, but wasn’t sure how to greet her. When alone, they were able to express their thoughts and feelings without remorse. But now, surrounded by strangers, however kind-hearted, made him feel ashamed. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to stay and watch as the sea came to assist you. Not after everything.”

Prince Phillip shook Mulan’s hand, touched by her actions. “My friend. I owe you so much.”

“I know.” She answered. “You can pay me back when everything is over.”

“It’s a deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> There were other scenes I had in mind but just couldn't get out, including:
> 
> -Aurora and the Fairies talking in the Cottage, with Merriweather singing I need a Hero and making a ruckus.  
> -How Mulan got to Atlantica and got the Merfolk to help her.  
> -When Phillip finds Aurora in the Cursed world.


End file.
